Fabric stretching and drying apparatus.



J. W. SHELTON.

FABRIC STRETCHING AND DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1917.

Patented June 18, 1918,

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APPLICATION FILED DEC-B1917.

Patented June 18, 1918.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June is, rare,

Application filed December r, 1917. serial in. 205,997.

2' '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN W. SHELTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tucson, in the county of Pima and State of Arizona, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fabric Stretching and Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fabric stretching and drying apparatus and particularly stretchers and driers for lace curtains and the like, and has for its object the provision of an improved apparatus of this character which will occupy a minimum of floor space, is readily adjustable to receive different lengths and widths of fabric,'and which is provided with means for expediting the drymg-of the fabric.

Another important object is the provision of means for yieldingly retaining a curtain or other fabricstretched transversely so that the curtains will not be torn or pulled as they contract in that direction in the course of drying,

The invention will be first hereinafter 1described in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating one form of my invention, and which constitute part of this specification, and then more specifically defined in the claims at the end of the description. 1

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similarreference. characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is i an elevation of a fabric stretcher and drier made substantially in accordance with this invention and showing a curtain attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the stretcher and drier;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line. 33 of Fig. 1; and i Fig. 4 is a section. on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The stretcher and drier comprises a hollow cylindrical drum 1 supported in upright position upon a standard 2 which'rises from a broad base or support 3. The drum is perforated at 4 to permit air to pass freely therethrough. A curtain 5 or other piece offabric is adapted to be supported around the drum by having its ends connected with series of hooks 6 and 7 mounted to slide spaced from the lower endv The upright rod 9 is mounted to s'lideiat its respectively on vertical rods 8 and 9 spaced from the outside of said drum.

The upright rod 8 is fixed to the upper edge of the drum by a bracket 10, while the lower end .of said rod is fixed by a bracket 11 to an annular rod 12 surrounding and of thedrum.

lower end on the annular rod 12, and its upper end is also mounted to, slide along the upper edge of the drum. The rod 9.is, therefore, adjustable with =respeot to; the rod 8 for accommodating different lengths of curtains or other fabric. The upper end of the adjustable rod 9 carries a pawl 13 adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 14- 1n the upper edge of the drum. The lower end of said ;rod 9 also carries apawl 15 adapted to engage any one of a series. of notches 16 in the annular rod 12. Both ends of said rod 9 may thus be locked in any desired adjustment for holding a curtain or fabrlc properly stretched longitudinally.

The annular rod 12, which is fixed in-early =suitable. manner to the lower 6I1d',0f.13h8

drum, carries aseries of hooks ;17 adapted to be engaged with'onelateraledge of the curtain or fabric. The. other lateral edge of the curtainor fabric may. be connected to a series of hooks 18-mounted on an adjustable annular rod or hook19;:which is attached to a horizontal disk 20 on the; inside of the drum through vertical. slots 21 therein. The disk 20 is mounted to slide verticallyupon a central tubuIarpoSt-ZZ; Which may be an extension of the standard 12 and which is provided with longitudinal slots 23 through; which saiddisk is connected-to a hub port1on 2et fitted to slide within said tubular post. Said :hub portion 24: provided with an internally threadedpassage injwhich is-fitted an adjusting; screw 25, .the

head 26 of which carries a hand wheel 2.7. 1 At the upper ends of the slots 23, the, post 22 has inwardly extending lugs or shoulders 28 between which andthe head 26, of the adjusting screw 25zthere is arrangedia coiled bent widths of curtains or other. fabric.- As

the fabric shrinks laterally in drying, the

3 spring 29 or other resilient cushioning memmeans. As shown, the hub of the fan is provided with a gear. 32 which meshes with a ear 33 on the armature shaft of the motor, ut it will be understood that any other suitable driving connection may be used. To

further expedite the drying of the curtain or other fabric, heating coils 34 may be placed in the .drum above the fan, as suggestedin Fig. 2. The rotation of the fan will force currents of air out through the perforations in the drum, and the contact of these air currents with the fabric will quickly dry the same. Of course, when the air is heated by the coil, the drying will be even more quickly accomplished.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

- 1. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a perforated drum, a post arranged centrally within the drum, means for stretching a piece of fabric about the drum,

' a fan journaled around the post within the drum, means for rotating said fan for forcing currents of air outward through the perforations in the drum, and means for heating said air currents.

2. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a perforated drum, a post arranged centrally within the drum, means for stretching a piece of fabric about the drum, a fan journaled around the post within thedrum, a motor mounted on the drum,

and driving connections between the motor and fan.

3. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with. a perforated drum, a post arranged centrally within the drum, means for stretching a piece of fabric about the drum, a fan journaled' around the post within the drum, a motor mounted on the drum, driving connections between the motor and fan for rotating said fan whereby currents of air are forced'outward through the perforations in the drum, and means for heating said air currents. i

4. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a drum h ving a series of notches around it, of means orfastening one end of a piece of fabric to the drum, an

adjustable'rod having means for fastening the other end of the fabric thereto, and a pawl mounted on said'adjustable rod and adapted to engage the said notches for retaining the fabric in stretched position.

5. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a drum having aseries of notches around one end thereof, of an annular rod secured to the other end of the drum and also having a series of notches, a stationary rod having means for attaching one end of a piece of fabric thereto, an adjustable rod having means for attaching the other end of the fabric thereto, pawls mounted on the ends of said adjustable rod and adapted to engage the notches in the end of the drum and in said annular rod, respectively, means on said annular rod for connecting one edge of the fabric thereto, and an adjustable annular rod having means for connecting the other edge of the fabric thereto.

6. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a drum, of means for connecting the ends of a piece of fabric thereto, a fixed annular rod having means for connecting one edge of the fabric to the same, a disk within the drum, an annular rod connected to said disk and having means for connecting the other edge of the fabric thereto, and an adjusting screw for moving said disk and the annular rod carried thereby toward or away from the fixed annular rod.

7. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a drum, of means for connecting the ends of a piece of fabric thereto, a

fixed annular rod having means for connecting one edge of the fabric to the same, a disk within the drum, an annular rod connected to said disk and havin means for connecting the other edge of t e fabric thereto, an adjusting screw for moving said disk and the annular rod carried thereby toward or awav from the fixed annular rod, and means for cushioning said adjusting screw for allowing the annular rod mounted on the disk to yield toward. the fixed annular rod as the fabric contracts transversely in drying.

8. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a drum having longitudinal slots therein, of a fixed annular rod surrounding the drum and having means for connecting one edge of a piece of fabric thereto, a disk within the drum, an annular rod surrounding the drum and connected to said disk through said longitudinal slots, means on said second annular rod for connecting the other edge of the fabric thereto, and means for adjusting the disk and annular rod carried thereby toward or away from the fixed annular rod.

9. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a perforated drum, of a fixed annular rod surrounding the drum and having means for connecting one edge of a piece of fabric thereto, a hollow post arranged in the center of the drum, a disk mounted to slide on said post, an annular rod surrounding the drum and connected to said disk, means on the second annular rod for connecting the other edge of the fabric thereto, a hub on said disk arranged within the post, and an adjusting screw housed within the raeavti post and engaging said hub for adjusting the disk and annular rod carried thereby to Ward or away from the fixed annular rod.

10. lln a fabric stretcher and drier,-the combination with a-drum, of a stationary annular rod surrounding the drum and having means for connecting one edge of a piece of fabric thereto, a hollow post arranged centrally within the drum, a dish mounted to slide on the post and havin a hub arranged within the same, an annu ar rod surrounding the drum and connected tothe disk, means on the second annular rod for connecting the other edge of the fabric thereto, an adjusting screw housed in the post and engaging the hub of the disk for adjusting the latter and the annular rod carried thereby toward or away from the stationary annular rod, a shoulder in the post, and cushioning means housed within the post and interposed between said shoulder and the head of the adjusting screw for ermitting the annular rod on the disk to yield toward the stationary annular rod as the fabriccontracts transversely in drying.

11. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the

combination with a perforated drum, a post arranged centrally within the drum, means for stretching a piece of fabric about the drum, a fan journaled around the post within the drum, and means for rotating said fan for forcing currents of air outward through the perforations in the drum.

12. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a perforated drum, of a post arranged centrally therein, a disk fitted in the drum and mounted to slide on the post, adjustable means for stretching a piece of fabric about the drum including an annular rod connected to said disk, and a fan 13. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the combination with a cylindrical drum supported in vertical position, of adjustable means for stretching a piece of fabric about said drum, a central adjusting screw for ac- .the drum in fixed relation thereto, and

means for securing the other edge of the fabric about the drum, said latter securing means being adjustable along the drum for the purpose specified, and means for cushionin said adjustable securing means to permit the same to yield as the fabric contracts iii drying.

15. In a fabric stretching apparatus the combination with a drum, of means for securing the fabric in the direction of its length around said drum and means for automatically adjusting the fabric in the direction of its width.

16. In a fabric stretching apparatus the combination with a drum, of adjustable means for securing the fabric in the direc tion of its length around said drum and means for automatically adjusting the fabric in the direction of its width.

17. In a fabric stretcher and drier, the

combination with a drum having a series of end of a piece of fabric to the drum, an adjustable rod having means for fasteningthe other end of the fabric thereto, means for automatically adjusting the fabric in the direction of its length, and a pawl mounted on said adjustable rod and adapted toengage the said notches for retaining the fabric in stretched position.

JOHN WESLEY SHELTUN. 

